To say that the 2026 offseason is mercifully over for the Denver Broncos might be an understatement.
It was one of the longest offseasons in recent memory for Broncos fans. Although there were some fireworks in mid-March with the Jaylen Waddle trade, the excitement of that move had to last the whole offseason, because the Broncos only signed one external free agent (Tycen Anderson). They didn't make a pick until the 3rd round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Meanwhile, the fan base also had to wait until June to finally see glimpses of quarterback Bo Nix back on the practice field after the ankle injury that knocked him out of the playoffs last season.
The lingering worry over Nix and inactivity in the player movement department was quickly erased by the team's overall preseason performance. The last 7 or 8 months have shown us some clear winners and losers, and we're going to take a look at who landed in each category.
Winners and losers from the Denver Broncos' 2026 offseason
Winner: Bo Nix, QB
There was definitely some uncertainty over the status of Bo Nix after his fractured ankle in the Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills last season. Even more uncertainty after he had a second procedure this offseason to get rid of some bone spurs in April.
All that ended up really changing was the timeline of his return to full speed. Nix looked great all throughout training camp, and he looked really good in his lone preseason appearance against the Green Bay Packers.
Not only did Nix look good on his own, but the talent around him looks better than ever.
Winner: Davis Webb, offensive coordinator
Typically, the salaries of NFL coaches are not public knowledge, but it's a reasonable conclusion to draw that Denver Broncos OC Davis Webb is likely now one of the highest-paid assistants in the league.
Webb was courted by a wide variety of teams during the 2026 offseason, including being one of the apparent finalists for the Las Vegas Raiders' head coaching gig. The Broncos ended up getting Webb back on their staff, and they didn't simply promote his title. Sean Payton gave Webb the keys to the offense.
For the first time in his coaching career, Sean Payton is doing for an assistant what Bill Parcells once did for him: Let the hotshot apprentice call the plays.
Loser: Jonathon Cooper, OLB
Multiple arrests during the Broncos' mandatory minicamp ultimately landed outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper on the Commissioner's Exempt List to start the season. He won't be allowed to practice or play until his legal case is resolved.
Cooper pled "not guilty" to 5 charges of domestic violence incidents, and his case is set for trial on November 10.
The Broncos have players who can step up in Cooper's absence, but this is a disappointing situation.
Loser: Jarrett Stidham, backup QB
It felt like Jarrett Stidham squandered an opportunity in the AFC Championship Game, and he didn't have a great showing in the preseason after the opener against the Falcons.
Stidham made some downright bad throws in the preseason, getting outplayed at times throughout training camp and in the preseason by third-string QB Sam Ehlinger. In terms of his job, Stidham is anything but a "loser". He is still the Broncos' backup. In terms of the perception of him from the fan base?
Stidham's "approval rating" has never been lower in Broncos Country. He doesn't look like he's worth the price the Broncos are paying ($8M on the salary cap).
Winner: Pat Bryant, WR
There weren't many players on the roster who were bigger winners than wide receiver Pat Bryant this offseason.
Even with the acquisition of Jaylen Waddle, Bryant's role is going to grow significantly in his second NFL season. He was making plays throughout training camp constantly. There wasn't a practice that wenet by where Bryant's name didn't pop up as making a big play or standing out all throughout the practice session.
Kay Adams asked Sean Payton during training camp how they were going to keep Bryant off the field with the way he played at camp, and Payton replied, "We're not."
Winner: Riley Moss, CB
If Pat Bryant was the biggest winner of the offseason on the offensive side of the ball, then Riley Moss was his counterpart on the defense.
If not for a brief injury suffered in the preseason game against the Packers (rib injury after diving on a loose ball), Moss's offseason would have been absolute perfection.
Everyone in attendance at Broncos camp seemed to indicate the same thing: Moss has taken the next step in his game. The most-targeted player in the league is entering a contract year and has a reputation for committing too many penalties, but he appears poised to shift narratives for the better in 2026.
Loser: Jahdae Barron
One of the few depth chart talking points throughout the offseason was what the role of Jahdae Barron would look like going into 2026.
There was seemingly a slight opening for him to compete with Riley Moss for a starting job on the outside at one point, but that never really came to pass. Barron was never competing for any role in the starting defense, just his role in the dime package.
For a 1st-round pick entering his second season, it's at least a little disappointing, even though the Broncos are obviously very talented at the position.
Winner: Jonah Coleman, RB
It's extremely rare to see a rookie be held out of preseason action because the team has seen "enough" from him.
I don't know that I've ever seen it before where a 4th-round pick was held out of preseason action because he had proven himself to the coaching staff in such a limited sample.
Jonah Coleman was that impressive throughout his first offseason in Denver. Sean Payton has said a million times that you don't "feel" a rookie with Coleman.
The rookie out of Washington will have a major role in the offense this season, even if Payton's preference is to feed just two backs instead of three.
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